The Mafate trail running shoe by Hoka One One is an innovative, feather-light shoe which utilizes 30% softer EVA, a 13cm rockering profile and increased outsole. They will make running uphill as much fun as running downhill.

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Features

EVA 30% softer and increasing its total volume to 2.5 times that of a typical trail running shoe

More cushioning than any other shoe on the market today, dissipating up to 80% of the shock associated with heal striking when running

Hoka One One trail running shoes are now available at Rock/Creek
"Rock/Creek Race Team member Randy Whorton was skeptical... he immediately took them out for a 20-mile run, followed by a hard 6-miler on the most technical trails in the Chattanooga area. Thrilled with the results to that point, he decided to wear them while running the Black Mountain 50k. Here's what he wrote after the race..."

I was diagnosed with Hip arthritis in September of 2011.Prior to the diagnoses I was an avide half-maraton runner who had also run my first marathon. The doctor told me to stop running and pretty much "get fitted for a rocking chair", I am 44. I had not run in 5 months due to pain in both hips. I did some eliptical training and waling to stay in shape. A friend told me about this shoe. He has had double hip replacement and a year since his sugery he runs in them religiously. On December 6, 2012 I will have my right hip replaced with the left not far behind. I ordered the shoes and recieved them on the November 21, 2012. I signed up to run a Thanksgiving 10 miler the next day even though I new I wasn't prepared. I must say I ran the the 10 miles with "zero" pain. This shoes is amazing!

Awesome shoe with huge amounts of cushion! The barrel is large enough to hold my insole without binding the top of my foot, which is a big plus. This shoe is like running on a cloud...the design produces a healthier foot strike without forcing you unnaturally onto your toes. Given the significant amount of cushion, it lasts and lasts and lasts! In fact, the only thing that stopped me from wearing my old ones was the stench (got 600+ miles out of 'em). The most amazing part of the shoe is the weight...the eyeball test would lead you to believe it weighs a ton, but when you pick it up, it easily is comparative to the weight of many other brands. GET YOU SOME HOKAS AND LOVE EM!!!!

They look funny, but you will not be sorry after taking the first run in years. Your feet will thank you. No worries about turning your ankle, as you spring back into place on each step. They look like shape-ups, and the folks in the grocery will look at you funny. Love these shoes, great for running and I cant wait to try them on an ultralight fast pack trip.

Hokas might look funny and they surely go against the minimalist trend gaining strength these days but they sure seem to work well. If you enjoy long trail runs, tend to have a heavy foot strike, and want to reduce wear and tear on your feet and knees, then you might want to consider them. They seem better the farther you go in them and perform better on rocky, rooty stretches rather than smooth trails. For all the cushion you get they are feather light and comfortable. I can't explain why they are so good on rocky decents but it is the first time I've felt stable enough on some of my favorite decents to relax and really run. Yes you will get noticed and asked about them but one of the benefits of running is meeting new folks and the social interactions so consider the unique look of these shoes as a built in ice breaker and take advantage of it.

At first look. I was more than a little skeptical. I love the idea of extra cushion, but due to the technical trails I run here in eastern Tennessee, stability must take precedent.

I acquired a loaner pair of the Mafate, and ran 20 miles on Saturday and then a hard 6 miles on Wednesday on the most technical trails I could find. Then I ran the Black Warrior 50K the next Sat, which was the most gentle, non-technical trail anywhere around... but perhaps the muddiest, wettest trail in the region! So, for a one week test, I was certainly able to subject the shoe to a broad variety of terrain, distance and speed.

First, about the stability: not once in the 57 miles did I roll a foot or even felt at risk. What seems to happen is, with the combination of the wide base and soft rubber, when you land on the edge of a rock or root the shoe just conforms to the landscape and the force of your foot just stays in the one direction. Let's call it "the marshmallow effect!"

I used to be a big heel striker, until I studied the barefoot running technique (quietly land on the forefoot while your foot is just starting it's travel backwards, no braking...as if you were running barefoot). The only problem I have found with this technique is that, now, the ball of the foot is taking a greater impact; with most shoes that I have found, especially the lightermodels which I prefer, I do not have much protection from the rocks in that part of the shoe.

On most of my runs over 20 miles or so, my feet start to tell me to pay more attention to the smaller rocks, and certainly after the run (and the next day) my feet are sore. With the Hokas, this problem just disappears. Also, after hard long runs, like a 50K race, my knees and hips usually take a beating and it takes me several days to work the kinks out of the joints... but I am writing this at 9 AM the day after running a 50K in the Hoka Mafate, and the only soreness I can feel is in the muscle.

Always, the day after a long run, we go out for 2-4 easy miles. We call it a "healing run" and usually we have to use some will power to make this happen. Today, I am looking forward to it.

About water: in deep water, the shoes expel the water out of the shoe no better or worsethan any other. What is noticeable is that you can run through about twice the water depthand not take on water, compared to the typical trail shoe of the same weight.

One final noticeable improvement over the traditional trail shoe is this "rocker" concept at the toe. The traditional shoe would not be able to pull off this amount of curve, because they don't have the luxury of the additional space under the forefoot. What this does isexaggerate the roll forward once the foot begins to roll onto the toes.

With the combination of the light weight and this added roll up at the toe, this shoe does make you run faster and the added cushion does reduces the joint impact. At this point, I don't know why I would run in any other shoe.

More to come on whether they actually last 700 miles as advertised. Regardless of the longevity, these shoes are the real deal and well worth the extra few bucks they cost.